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Chen S, Li B, Chen L, Jiang H. Identification and validation of immune-related biomarkers and potential regulators and therapeutic targets for diabetic kidney disease. BMC Med Genomics 2023; 16:90. [PMID: 37127580 PMCID: PMC10150481 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-023-01519-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a major complication of diabetes and the leading cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide. Renal inflammation and infiltration of immune cells contribute to the development and progression of DKD. Thus, the aim of the present study was to identify and validate immune-related biomarkers and analyze potential regulators including transcription factors (TFs), microRNAs (miRNAs), and drugs for DKD. METHODS Immune-related genes from the ImmPort database and glomeruli samples from GSE1009 and GSE30528 were used to identify differentially expressed immune-related genes (DEIRGs) of DKD. The expression level and clinical correlation analyses of DEIRGs were verified in the Nephroseq database. Murine podocytes were cultured to construct the high glucose-induced podocyte injury model. The reliability of the bioinformatics analysis was experimentally validated by RT-qPCR in podocytes. Networks among DEIRGs, regulators, and drugs were constructed to predict potential regulatory mechanisms for DKD. RESULTS DKD-associated DEIRGs were identified. CCL19 and IL7R were significantly upregulated in the DKD group and negatively correlated with glomerular filtration rate (GFR). GHR, FGF1, FYN, VEGFA, F2R, TGFBR3, PTGDS, FGF9, and SEMA5A were significantly decreased in the DKD group and positively correlated with GFR. RT-qPCR showed that the relative mRNA expression levels of GHR, FGF1, FYN, TGFBR3, PTGDS, FGF9, and SEMA5A were significantly down-regulated in the high glucose-induced podocyte injury group. The enriched regulators for DEIRGs included 110 miRNAs and 8 TFs. The abnormal expression of DEIRGs could be regulated by 16 established drugs. CONCLUSIONS This study identified immune-related biomarkers, regulators, and drugs of DKD. The findings of the present study provide novel insights into immune-related diagnosis and treatment of DKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengnan Chen
- Department of Blood Purification, Kidney Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, West Yanta Road No. 277, Xi'an, 710061, Shannxi, China
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Nephrology, Ningxia Medical University Affiliated People's Hospital of Autonomous Region of Ningxia, Yinchuan, 750002, Ningxia, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of Blood Purification, Kidney Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, West Yanta Road No. 277, Xi'an, 710061, Shannxi, China
| | - Hongli Jiang
- Department of Blood Purification, Kidney Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, West Yanta Road No. 277, Xi'an, 710061, Shannxi, China.
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Competitive endogenous RNA network and pathway-based analysis of LncRNA single-nucleotide polymorphism in myasthenia gravis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23920. [PMID: 34907261 PMCID: PMC8671434 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03357-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a complex neurological autoimmune disease with a pathogenetic mechanism that has yet to be elucidated. Emerging evidence has revealed that genes, non-coding RNAs and genetic variants play significant roles in the pathogenesis of MG. However, the molecular mechanisms of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located on lncRNAs could disturb lncRNA-mediated ceRNA regulatory functions still unclear in MG. In this study, we collated 276 experimentally confirmed MG risk genes and 192 MG risk miRNAs. We then constructed a lncRNA-mediated ceRNA network for MG based on multi-step computational strategies. Next, we systematically integrated risk pathways and identified candidate SNPs in lncRNAs for MG based on data acquired from public databases. In addition, we constructed a pathway-based lncRNA-SNP mediated network (LSPN) that contained 128 lncRNAs targeting 8 MG risk pathways. By analyzing network, we propose a latent mechanism for how the “lncRNA-SNP-mRNA-pathway” axis affects the pathogenesis of MG. Moreover, 25 lncRNAs and 51 SNPs on lncRNAs were extracted from the “lncRNA-SNP-mRNA-pathway” axis. Finally, functional analyses demonstrated lncRNA-SNPs mediated ceRNA regulation pairs associated with MG participated in the MAPK signaling pathway. In summary, we constructed MG-specific lncRNA-SNPs mediated ceRNA regulatory networks based on pathway in the present study, which was helpful to elucidate the roles of lncRNA-SNPs in the pathogenesis of MG and provide novel insights into mechanism of lncRNA-SNPs as potential genetic risk biomarkers of MG.
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Li S, Wang X, Wang T, Zhang H, Lu X, Liu L, Li L, Bo C, Kong X, Xu S, Ning S, Wang J, Wang L. Identification of the regulatory role of lncRNA HCG18 in myasthenia gravis by integrated bioinformatics and experimental analyses. J Transl Med 2021; 19:468. [PMID: 34794447 PMCID: PMC8600732 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-021-03138-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), functioning as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs), have been reported to play important roles in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. However, little is known about the regulatory roles of lncRNAs underlying the mechanism of myasthenia gravis (MG). The aim of the present study was to explore the roles of lncRNAs as ceRNAs associated with the progression of MG. METHODS MG risk genes and miRNAs were obtained from public databases. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and module analysis were performed. A lncRNA-mediated module-associated ceRNA (LMMAC) network, which integrated risk genes in modules, risk miRNAs and predicted lncRNAs, was constructed to systematically explore the regulatory roles of lncRNAs in MG. Through performing random walk with restart on the network, HCG18/miR-145-5p/CD28 ceRNA axis was found to play important roles in MG, potentially. The expression of HCG18 in MG patients was detected using RT-PCR. The effects of HCG18 knockdown on cell proliferation and apoptosis were determined by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry. The interactions among HCG18, miR-145-5p and CD28 were explored by luciferase assay, RT-PCR and western blot assay. RESULTS Based on PPI network, we identified 9 modules. Functional enrichment analyses revealed these modules were enriched in immune-related signaling pathways. We then constructed LMMAC network, containing 25 genes, 50 miRNAs, and 64 lncRNAs. Through bioinformatics algorithm, we found lncRNA HCG18 as a ceRNA, might play important roles in MG. Further experiments indicated that HCG18 was overexpressed in MG patients and was a target of miR-145-5p. Functional assays illustrated that HCG18 suppressed Jurkat cell apoptosis and promoted cell proliferation. Mechanistically, knockdown of HCG18 inhibited the CD28 mRNA and protein expression levels in Jurkat cells, while miR-145-5p inhibitor blocked the reduction of CD28 expression induced by HCG18 suppression. CONCLUSION We have reported a novel HCG18/miR-145-5p/CD28 ceRNA axis in MG. Our findings will contribute to a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanism of and provide a novel potential therapeutic target for MG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Li
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Tianfeng Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Huixue Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xiaoyu Lu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Li Liu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Lifang Li
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Chunrui Bo
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xiaotong Kong
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Si Xu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Shangwei Ning
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China.
| | - Jianjian Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China.
| | - Lihua Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China.
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Wang J, Cao Y, Lu X, Wang X, Kong X, Bo C, Li S, Bai M, Jiao Y, Gao H, Yao X, Ning S, Wang L, Zhang H. Identification of the Regulatory Role of lncRNA SNHG16 in Myasthenia Gravis by Constructing a Competing Endogenous RNA Network. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2020; 19:1123-1133. [PMID: 32059338 PMCID: PMC7016163 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2020.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder resulting from antibodies against the proteins at the neuromuscular junction. Emerging evidence indicates that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), acting as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs), are involved in various diseases. However, the regulatory mechanisms of ceRNAs underlying MG remain largely unknown. In this study, we constructed a lncRNA-mediated ceRNA network involved in MG using a multi-step computational strategy. Functional annotation analysis suggests that these lncRNAs may play crucial roles in the immunological mechanism underlying MG. Importantly, through manual literature mining, we found that lncRNA SNHG16 (small nucleolar RNA host gene 16), acting as a ceRNA, plays important roles in the immune processes. Further experiments showed that SNHG16 expression was upregulated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from MG patients compared to healthy controls. Luciferase reporter assays confirmed that SNHG16 is a target of the microRNA (miRNA) let-7c-5p. Subsequent experiments indicated that SNHG16 regulates the expression of the key MG gene interleukin (IL)-10 by sponging let-7c-5p in a ceRNA manner. Furthermore, functional assays showed that SNHG16 inhibits Jurkat cell apoptosis and promotes cell proliferation by sponging let-7c-5p. Our study will contribute to a deeper understanding of the regulatory mechanism of MG and will potentially provide new therapeutic targets for MG patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianjian Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Yuze Cao
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China; Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Xiaoyu Lu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Xiaolong Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin 150000, China
| | - Xiaotong Kong
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Chunrui Bo
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Shuang Li
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Ming Bai
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Yang Jiao
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Hongyu Gao
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Xiuhua Yao
- Tianjin Neurosurgical Institute, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cerebral Vascular and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Shangwei Ning
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China.
| | - Lihua Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China.
| | - Huixue Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China.
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